Ranchers on Federal Land

The occupation of a federal wildlife refuge in southeast Oregon has brought attention to the federal government’s management of public lands. The group of armed protesters want the land to be handed over to locals. Some people making their living off the land are experiencing economic hardship and are pointing to mismanagement and the red tape and regulations set by the Bureau of Land Management. Others have no problems with land management but simply want more people to understand the issues of the rural west. Listen to this story to learn more about this divisive issue.

Related Current Events

The Amazon in the north of Brazil is being deforested, and it is estimated that 80% of the wood harvested is illegal. Many environmental groups are fighting deforestation on the basis of its effects on global warming. But there’s one group of indigenous people in Brazil is fighting back against illegal loggers. This tribe is trying to preserve the trees because they are central to their way of life. They surround and warn illegal loggers and then drive them away with bows and arrows. There are many other issues with big business and corruption that affect this forest. Listen to this story to hear about some local efforts to protect the Amazon Forest.

The Second Amendment is only one sentence long. It allows for individuals to own and use guns. But since its inception, the meaning has been debated. There is still no public consensus around its meaning. Listen to this public radio story to learn more.

Language Challenge Level

These levels of listening complexity can help teachers choose stories for their students. The levels do not relate to the content of the story, but to the complexity of the vocabulary, sentence structure and language in the audio story.

NOTE: Listenwise stories are intended for students in grades 5-12 and for English learners with intermediate language skills or higher.

Low

These stories are easier to understand and are a good starting point for everyone.

Medium

These stories have an average language challenge for students and can be scaffolded for English learners.

High

These stories have challenging vocabulary and complex language structure.